Mom’s Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern beans
• 4 meaty ham hocks
• 5 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

Place Great Northern beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain water and transfer beans to a large stockpot.

Mix ham hocks, water, celery, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf with beans in the stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until ham is coming off the bones, about 2 hours.

Remove ham hocks from soup. Cut meat from bones, discarding fat and bones. Return meat to the pot. Continue cooking until beans reach desired softness.